This is the exciting tale of how New Mexico's premier crop came to the Land of Enchantment. The story shows the importance of Native Americans who helped bring chile to New Mexico through a long journey with many dangers. Intertwined in the book is love and romance and the story of the influence of many cultures in New Mexico's history.

For more than ten thousand years, humans have been fascinated by a seemingly innocuous plant with bright-colored fruits that bite back when bitten. Ancient New World cultures from Mexico to South America combined these pungent pods with every conceivable meat and vegetable, as evident from archaeological finds, Indian artifacts, botanical observations, and studies of the cooking methods of the modern descendants of the Incas, Mayas, and Aztecs. In Chile Peppers: A Global History, Dave DeWitt, a world expert on chiles, travels from New Mexico across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia chronicling the history, mystery, and mythology of chiles around the world and their abundant uses in seventy mouth-tingling recipes.

"From a chile-laced Bean and Chicken Stew to a coriander-chile infused Zesty Meat Loaf or a Pork Loin in Green Sauce, this packs in chile recipes gleaned from New Mexican cooks' contributions. Enjoy a collection which uses the chile in everything from appetizers to desserts. "(Bookwatch)

"Compelling and complex . . . Strange and wonderful." —The New York Times Book Review, in praise of McIlvoy's previous fiction I am going to write about the state of New Mexico and put in some maps and stuff from the encyclopedia. My theme is the Don Juan Onate trail and the Jornada Del Muerto. But I might write some other important things which as it turns out my stepmother got angry about and said she wouldn't type this until my Dad said "Dammit now it is history" and told her maybe there weren't commas in those days. "The Complete History of New Mexico" is no ordinary research paper, and this is no ordinary collection of short stories. Eleven-year-old Chum's "history" unfolds over three distinctive and increasingly disturbing sections. He writes that "Coronado explored around and found Santa Fe in 1610"; that "William Becknell was tracking wagons over everyplace in 1821"; and that every day his best friend, Daniel, is afraid to go home. Kevin McIlvoy intersperses the title novella with equally distinctive stories set in New Mexico. Laura, a plain, overweight nurse, encounters a terrified young man on his way to the Vietnam War and takes matters into her own hands. Zach spends time with his "white-trash" relatives and finds love's terrible and true face. The Complete History of New Mexico is a stunningly original collection that will further McIlvoy's growing reputation.

Now available in a hardcover gift edition! Spanning three generations, Muy Bueno offers traditional old-world northern Mexican recipes from grandmother Jeusita's kitchen; comforting south of the border home-style dishes from mother Evangelina; and innovative Latin fusion recipes from daughters Yvette and Veronica. Muy Bueno has become one of the most popular Mexican cookbooks available. This new hardcover edition features a useful guide to Mexican pantry ingredients. Whether you are hosting a casual family gathering or an elegant dinner party, Muy Bueno has the perfect recipes for entertaining with Latin flair! You'll find classics like Enchiladas Montadas ("Stacked Enchiladas"); staples like Homemade Tortillas and Toasted Chile de Arbol Salsa; and light seafood appetizers like Shrimp Ceviche and Scallop and Cucumber Cocktail. Don't forget tempting Coconut Flan and daring, dazzling cocktails like Blood Orange Mezcal Margaritas and Persimmon Mojitos. There is truly something in Muy Bueno for every taste! This edition features more than 100 easy-to-follow recipes, a glossary of chiles with photos and descriptions of each variety, step-by-step instructions with photos for how to roast chiles, make Red Chile Sauce, and assemble tamales, a rich family history shared through anecdotes, photos, personal tips, and more, and stunning color photography throughout.

Every Recipe and Skill You Need To Be A Great Cook Here’s the truth: making food worth savoring and showing off isn’t as difficult as you like to think it is. All it really takes is a solid foundation of cooking techniques, and lucky for you, celebrity chef and self-proclaimed Mr. Miyagi Jet Tila is ready to pass all his know-how on to you. Jet and his pastry partner-in-crime, Ali have carefully selected the most essential recipes that pull double duty by tasting delicious and teaching you foundational cooking skills that will easily transfer to other cooking endeavors. Mastering perfect pan-roasted rib-eye steak means both that your dinner is going to be delicious and that you are ready to season and sear other cuts of meat like a pro. southwestern BBQ and ranch chicken salad helps you build must-have knife skills, and crumbly apple pie will arm you with the ability to make the perfect flaky pie dough that can be used in countless other desserts. 101 Epic Dishes teaches you the most important cooking skills you need to kick your kitchen game up a few notches—all while whipping up some delicious dishes.